o- nitrophenol is steam volatile while p-nitrophenol is not. Discuss.

Explanation

In o-nitrophenol, intarmolecular hydrogen bonding is present while intermolecular hydrogen is present in the molecules of p-nitrophenol. Energy is needed to overcome attractive forces in the molecules of p-nitrophenol but no such energy is required in ase of molecules in o-nitrohenol. This means that the boiling point of o-nitrophenol is less and is steam volatile while than of p-nitrophenol is more and is, therefore, non-volatile in steam.